Various Cuphea species are adapted to temperate climates and characterized by caprylic, capric, and lauric acid-rich seed oils . These fatty acids are solely commercially available from palm kernel and coconut oils ; thus, there is considerable interest in Cuphea as an alternative source of these fatty acids . Cuphea is a genus of undomesticated species characterized by seed dormancy and seed shedding . Our goal is to eliminate these domestication barriers in a few species with agronomic potential . Our objective was to survey existing Cuphea laminuligera and C . lanceolata germplasm for genetic variation for seed dormancy (germination percentage after a certain seed storage period) . Recurrent half-sib family selection was practiced in various open-pollinated and synthetic populations . Half-sib family seed were evaluated for germination percentages at 26'C after various seed storage periods . There was significant genetic variation among families in every population . Additive genetic variance, half-sib family-mean heritability, and expected selection response magnitudes depended on the length of the seed storage period within a given population . Estimates of these parameters were significantly greater for longer seed storage periods within a population . Heritability estimates ranged from 0 .00 to 0 .79 . Expected half-sib family selection responses ranged from 0 .0 to 23 .9% .
Our study demonstrated there is substantial genetic variation for seed dormancy in C . laminuligera and C . lanceolata .